Building frame



Sept. 22, 1953 RODDA ET AL BUILDING FRAME Filed Aug. 5, 1950 INVENTORS L RUDD/7 HARLEY M. WARD BY M ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 22, 1953 BUILDING FRAME Lee Rodda, Elmhurst, and Harley M. Ward, Aurora, 111., assignors to Masonite Corporation, Laurel, Miss., a corporation of Delaware Application August 5, 1950, Serial No. 177,994

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in building frames, with particular reference to the frames of farm buildings and other buildings known as utility buildings, although the invention is applicable to any buildings in which frame construction requirements are similar to the described invention. More particularly, the invention relates to building frames made up of prefabricated units designed to be readily assembled and disassembled and arranged compactly for storage and shipping.

Briefiy stated the invention comprises a building frame which combines the principles of the arch with that of a truss having a center ridge, and the arch and the truss being made up of prefabricated units. The prefabricated units may be assembled from short length pieces of material thus greatly contributing to economy and at the same time obtaining assembled units of great strength. The arched units may be the same for various width buildings; the dimensions of the units comprising the truss may be varied to obtain units suitable for different width buildings. Such prefabricated units may readily be assembled by unskilled labor to make a low cost and strong building frame.

The units comprising the building frame are preferably made of wood and the description herein will be directed to wooden units-although it'will be clear that other construction materials as for example steel may be used in making the prefabricated punits.

'With the above considerations in view, it is an object of our invention to provide a building frame comprised of prefabricated units adapted to support a wall which provides maximum area within the wall enclosure with minimum obstruct n by pp t n me r uc as post or jbeams. ;It is also an object to provide ;a building frame composed of prefabricated units having laminated and 'trussed wooden members reinforced by shear members in a manner to prevent buckling and twisting of the frame members; A

further object is to provide a frame wherein the units resting on the foundation are made up of prefabricated arched units, and the arched members support prefabricated rectangular shaped units in the upper portion of the frame with the rectangular shaped units abutting against a center ridge. An additional object is to provide a building frame made up of prefabricated units which may be made up of short length pieces of material and the units may conveniently be assembled as by bolting, gluing or nailing by unskilled labor.

The various objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent in -view of the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an end view of a building having a frame made in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is aperspective exploded view showing the prefabricated units and the relative position the prefabricated units occupy in assembling the building frame.

Referring to Figure '2 of the drawing, A represents a prefabricated arched unit having a base member f G and an even numberof .parallelcurved upright members. The side curved-members 12 are spaced slightly inwardly on the base in order to provide space for receiving other tying in members to be described below. The inner curved members It are'also spaced to receive-tyingin members to bedescribed below. The outermembers 1-2 and inner members 14 are .connected by cross piecesI-B.

With further reference to Figure 2, :B represents a prefabricated rectangular shaped unit having side members 18, anintermediate member 2-0 extending from the upper member 22 to and beyond the lower members :24 and 26. The .por-

tion of member 2-0 which extends beyond .members 24 and 26 is adapted to roject and (tie in between the inner curved members .14 of unit A. The upper member 22 abuts against the-ridge =28 of th frame and the lower members 24 and :26 abut against the cross pieces 115 of unit A when the frame is assembled. I

"Chords-C extend-from one side-of the frame to the other as shown in Figure 1 and are fastened between the adjacent curved members of units A. Such chords may be placed between all the curvedjmembers if considered necessary. Using the chord Cas the base, braces 32 and 34 are 4 :fixedbetween thechord and the sidemember 18 and/ or interm ediate member 20 of unitiB tdlpr- Ivent buckling and twistin of {the frame.

spacin membe s .3 ar se u tween t e farchedunitsnand rectangular units-J3 to obtain proper spacing and assist in strengthening "the building frame. v 5 9 In 'assemblying the prefabricated units to form a building frame, arched units A are placed adjacent to each other on the foundation D and the bases [0 of the units are anchored to the foundation. Chords C are secured between the curved members of units A as by bolts through holes 30. Following positioning of the chords C, rectangular units B are positioned so that base members 24 and 26 abut cross members I6 of units A and the prejection of members extends between the curved members M of units A. Members 22 of units B abut the center ridge 28 of the building frame. Spacer members 36 and braces 32 and 34 are then positioned and secured to make the framework rigid. Where desired, filler members cut to the shape of the arched members I2 and 14 may be applied therebetween to fill the space and to acquire greater strength and rigidity in the framework.

Through assembly of the prefabricated units as described, the advantages of the arch and truss are obtained through low cost units and assembly by unskilled labor. 7

In the above, the description has been applied primarily to prefabricated arched units and rectangular units in building a building frame. Such prefabrication of units and assembly is preferred because of low cost and ease for assembly of the building frame. It will be clear however that the separate members of each unit may be assembled in place. As for example, the separate curved members of the arched units may be erected on the foundation thus having opposed rows of curved members, and the chord members extended between opposing curved members and the ends thereof secured to the curved members. Such modifications in erection procedure are not preferred, but it will be obvious that the procedure may be varied to suit conditions, as may 3 be the construction of the several units without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined and limited by the claims.

We claim:

1. A building frame comprising opposed rows 3,

of arched units having spaced curved upright members, a base and cross pieces, chord members extending between the curved upright members of said arched units at a distance below the upper extremities thereof, rectangular units having side members, an upper member, lower mem- ;bers and an intermediate member extending from the upper member and beyond the lower members and secured between the curved upright members of the arched units, and brace memtbers extending between the chords and the side and intermediate members of said rectangular shaped units.

2. A building frame comprising opposed rows .of arched units having spaced curved upright members, a base and cross pieces, chord members extending between and secured to the curved upright members of said arched units at a point below the upper extremities thereof, rectangular units having side members, an upper member, lower members and an intermediate member extending from the upper member and beyond the lower members and secured between the curved upright members of the arched units, said lower members of the rectangular units abutting against said cross pieces of the arched units, a center ridge, said upper member of each rectangular unit abutting against the center ridge, and brace members extending between the chords and the side and intermediate members of the rectangular shaped units.

3. A building frame unit comprising pairs of opposed upright arched frame units and pairs of opposed rectangular rafter units, each of said upright arched frame units consisting essentially of a central pair of parallel upright curved members and an exterior pair of similar parallel upright curved members spaced apart from the central pair of upright members and connected thereto at their upper extremities by transverse members, all of the upright members of each unit being attached to a unitary base, each of said rectangular rafter units consisting essentially of an upper ridge-receiving member, parallel side members spaced apart to coincide with the upper extremities of the exterior upright frame members, an intermediate member extending beyond the lower extremities of said side members and received between and connected to the central ,pair of upright frame members, and lower members connecting said side members with said intermediate member.

4. A building frame comprising opposed upright arched frame units, opposed rectangular rafter units, a center ridge, chord members connecting said upright arched frame units, and brace members extending between said chords and the rectangular rafter units, each of said upright arched frame units consisting essentially of a central pair of parallel upright curved members and an exterior pair of similar parallel upright curved members spaced apart from the central pair of upright members and connected thereto at their upper extremities by transverse members, all of the upright members of each unit being attached to a unitary base; each of said rectangular rafter units consisting essentially of an upper ridge-receiving member, parallel side members spaced apart to coincide with the upper extremities of the exterior upright frame members, an intermediate member extending beyond the lower extremities of said side members and received between and connected to the central pair of upright frame members, and lower transverse members connecting the side members of each rectangular rafter unit with said intermediate member thereof; the chord members extending between and secured to the upright curved members of said upright arched frame units, and said brace members extending between the chords and the side and intermediate members of the rectangular rafter units.

LEE RODDA. HARLEY M. WARD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,033,438 McFerran Mar. 10, 1936 2,351,209 Hobbs June 13, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Niunber Country Date 484,331 France Sept. 25, 1917 80,357 Switzerland of 1919 

